Compact camera with flip-up multi-lamp flash wheel

ABSTRACT

A compact camera comprising a camera body, a multi-lamp flash unit supported for movement relative to the camera body to advance respective flash lamps successively to a flash illumination position for illuminating a subject being photographed, and a drive assembly actuated to move the flash unit to advance the flash lamps to the flash illumination position in coordination with film movement to advance respective unexposed film sections successively to an exposure position in the camera body, is characterized in that the flash unit is supported for movement to a folded position collapsed to the camera body for compactness, and separated from the drive assembly to prevent actuation of the drive assembly from moving the flash unit, and to an unfolded position extended from the camera body to be used, and engaged with the drive assembly to permit actuation of the drive assembly to move the flash unit.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Reference is made to commonly assigned copending application Ser. No. 08/892,901 entitled COMPACT CAMERA WITH FLIP-UP MULTI-LAMP FLASH WHEEL and filed Jul. 14, 1997 in the names of Joel S. Lawther and Ralph M. Lyon.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

Reference is made to commonly assigned copending application Ser. No. 08/892,901 entitled COMPACT CAMERA WITH FLIP-UP MULTI-LAMP FLASH WHEEL and filed Jul. 14, 1997 in the names of Joel S. Lawther and Ralph M. Lyon.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to the field of photography, and in particular to cameras. More specifically, the invention relates to a compact camera with a flip-up multi-lamp flash wheel.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Manufacturers often look for ways to make cameras inexpensive and compact.

It is known for a camera to be used with an inexpensive, replaceable, multi-lamp flash wheel instead of a more expensive, built-in electronic flash unit. For example, the camera may have a multi-lamp flash wheel supported for rotation to advance respective flash lamps successively to a flash illumination position for illuminating a subject being photographed, and a drive assembly actuated in engagement with the flash wheel to rotate the flash wheel to advance the flash lamps to the flash illumination position in coordination with film movement to advance respective unexposed film sections successively to an exposure position. The camera, though inexpensive, is not compact.

The Cross-Referenced Application

The cross-referenced application discloses a compact camera comprising a camera body, a multi-lamp flash unit supported for movement relative to the camera body to advance respective flash lamps successively to a flash illumination position for illuminating a subject being photographed, and a drive assembly actuated in engagement with the flash unit to move the flash unit to advance the flash lamps to the flash illumination position in coordination with film movement to advance respective unexposed film sections successively to an exposure position in the camera body. The flash unit is supported for movement to a folded position collapsed to the camera body for compactness and to an unfolded position extended from the camera body to be used. The drive assembly remains in engagement with the flash unit during movement of the flash unit between its folded and extended positions.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A compact camera comprising a camera body, a multi-lamp flash unit supported for movement relative to the camera body to advance respective flash lamps successively to a flash illumination position for illuminating a subject being photographed, and a drive assembly actuated to move the flash unit to advance the flash lamps to the flash illumination position in coordination with film movement to advance respective unexposed film sections successively to an exposure position in the camera body, is characterized in that:

the flash unit is supported for movement to a folded position collapsed to the camera body for compactness, and separated from the drive assembly to prevent actuation of the drive assembly from moving the flash unit, and to an unfolded position extended from the camera body to be used, and engaged with the drive assembly to permit actuation of the drive assembly to move the flash unit.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front exploded perspective view of a compact camera with a flip-up multi-lamp flash wheel according to a preferred embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the flash wheel;

FIG. 3 is a front elevation view of the compact camera with the flash wheel flipped up for use; and

FIG. 4 is a front elevation view of the compact camera with the flash wheel flipped down for storage.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention is disclosed as being embodied preferably in a one-time-use camera. Because the features of a one-time-use camera are generally known, the description which follows is directed in particular only to those elements forming part of or cooperating directly with the disclosed embodiment. It is to be understood, however, that other elements may take various forms known to a person of ordinary skill in the art.

Referring now to the drawings, FIG. 1 shows a one-time-use camera 10 comprising a camera body 12 which constitutes a front body half 14 and a rear body half 16 that are connected together. The front body half 14 includes a lens snout 18 recessed within a front annular cavity 20 in the front body half. A taking lens 22 is mounted in a front opening 24 in the lens snout 18.

The rear body half 16 rotatably supports an unexposed film roll spool 26 and includes a chamber 28 that contains a conventional film cartridge 30. A thumbwheel 32 coaxially connected to a cartridge spool (not shown) in the film cartridge 30 is manually rotated to wind respective film sections 34 from the film spool 26 successively to an exposure position opposite the lens snout 18 and, thence, to the film cartridge. See FIG. 1. A known metering sprocket 36 is rotated in engagement with the film sections 34 during film movement from the film spool 26 to the film cartridge 30.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a flash holder 38 rotatably supports a multi-lamp flash wheel 40 having a number of flash lamps 42 equal to the number of film sections 34 to be exposed. The flash holder 38 has an integral bracket 44 provided with a coaxial pair of pivot pins 46 and 48. The pair of pivot pins 46 and 48 project into respective support holes 50 (only one shown in FIG. 1) in the front body half 14 to pivotally support the flash holder for swinging movement about a pivot axis 52 between a folded position collapsed to the front body half for compactness and an unfolded position extended from the front body half for use. The folded position of the flash holder 38 is shown in FIG. 4. The unfolded position of the flash holder 38 is shown in FIGS. 1-3. The flash holder 38 in the folded position covers the taking lens 22, and is flush with the front body half 14 This is possibly because the flash wheel 40 fits into the annular cavity 20 in the front body half 14 and, simultaneously, the lens snout 18 fits into a central opening 54 of the flash wheel.

A drive assembly 56 for rotating the flash wheel 40 within the flash holder 38 to advance the flash lamps 42 successively to a flash illumination position for illuminating a subject to be photographed in coordination with film movement of the film sections 34 from the film spool 26 successively to the exposure position is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The drive assembly 56 includes a helical worm gear 58 that is coaxial fixed to the metering sprocket 36 and in driving engagement with a pinion 60. The pinion 60, in turn, is coaxially fixed to a helical worm gear 62 via a relatively long shaft extension 64 of the helical worm gear. The relatively long shaft extension 64 of the helical worm gear 62 and an opposite end shaft extension 66 of the helical worn gear are rotatably supported in a rearward-facing pair of half holes 68 (only one shown in FIG. 1) in the front body half 14 and a forward-facing pair of half holes 70 in the rear body part 16 (only one shown in FIG. 1). When the flash holder 38 is in its unfolded position, shown in FIGS. 1-3, the helical worm gear 62 longitudinally extends tangent to a circular array of engageable notches 72 in the flash wheel 40. Consequently, rotation of the metering sprocket 36, each time one of the film sections 34 is moved to the exposure position, will rotate the helical worm gear 62 to move respective gear teeth 74 into engagement with the successive notches 72, to rotate the flash wheel 40 to advance one of the flash lamps 42 to the flash illumination position. The helical worm gear 62 has an axis of rotation 76 that is parallel to the pivot axis 52 of the flash holder 38. When the flash holder 38 is swung to its folded position, shown in FIG. 4, the circular array of notches 72 in the flash wheel 40 separate from the helical worm gear 62 to prevent engagement of the gear teeth 74 with the notches.

The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, it will be appreciated that variations and modifications can be effected by a person of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, the flash wheel 40 may be replaceable in a reusable camera.

PARTS LIST

10. one-time-use camera

12. camera body

14. front body half

16. rear body half

18. lens snout

20. annular cavity

22. taking lens

24. front opening

26. unexposed film roll spool

28. chamber

30. film cartridge

32. thumbwheel

34. film sections

36. metering sprocket

38. flash holder

40. flash wheel

42. flash lamps

44. bracket

46. pivot pin

48. pivot pin

50. support holes

52. pivot axis

54. central opening

56. drive assembly

58. helical worm gear

60. pinion

62. helical worm gear

64. relatively long shaft extension

66. opposite end shaft extension

68. rearward-facing half holes

70. forward-facing half holes

72. circular array of engageable notches

74. gear teeth

76. axis of rotation 

What is claimed is:
 1. A compact camera comprising a camera body, a multi-lamp flash unit supported for movement relative to said camera body to advance respective flash lamps successively to a flash illumination position for illuminating a subject being photographed, and a drive assembly actuated to move said flash unit to advance said flash lamps to the flash illumination position in coordination with film movement to advance respective unexposed film sections successively to an exposure position in said camera body, is characterized in that:said flash unit is supported for movement to a folded position collapsed to said camera body for compactness, and separated from said drive assembly to prevent actuation of the drive assembly from moving the flash unit, and to an unfolded position extended from the camera body to be used, and engaged with the drive assembly to permit actuation of the drive assembly to move the flash unit.
 2. A compact camera as recited in claim 1, wherein said flash unit includes a flash wheel rotatable to advance said flash lamps and having a circular array of engageable elements, and said drive assembly includes a rotatable drive member having respective engagement elements that can engage said engageable elements when the flash unit is in its unfolded position to permit rotation of said drive member to rotate the flash unit and that cannot engage the engageable elements when the flash unit is in its folded position to prevent rotation of the drive member from rotating the flash wheel.
 3. A compact camera as recited in claim 2, wherein a metering sprocket is rotated in engagement with the film sections during film movement and is coupled with said rotatable drive member to rotate the drive member.
 4. A compact camera as recited in claim 2, wherein said rotatable drive member is a helical worm gear arranged to be tangent to said circular array of engageable elements when said flash unit is in its unfolded position and to be spaced from the circular array of engageable elements when the flash unit is in its folded position.
 5. A compact camera as recited in claim 2, wherein said rotatable drive member is rotatable about an axis of rotation, and said flash unit is swingable to its folded and unfolded positions about a pivot axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotatable member.
 6. A compact camera as recited in claim 1, wherein said flash unit includes a flash wheel having a central opening, and said camera body includes a lens snout that protrudes into said opening when said flash unit is in its folded position.
 7. A compact camera comprising a camera body, a flash holder configured to support a multi-lamp flash unit for rotation relative to said camera body to advance respective flash lamps successively to a flash illumination position for illuminating a subject being photographed, and a drive assembly actuated to rotate the flash unit to advance the flash lamps to the flash illumination position in coordination with film movement to advance respective unexposed film sections successively to an exposure position in said camera body, is characterized in that:said flash holder is supported for movement to a folded position collapsed to said camera body for compactness, and to separate the flash unit from said drive assembly to prevent actuation of the drive assembly from rotating the flash unit, and to an unfolded position extended from the camera body to be used, and to engage the flash unit with the drive assembly to permit actuation of the drive assembly to rotate the flash unit.
 8. A compact camera as recited in claim 7, wherein said drive assembly includes a rotatable drive member having respective engagement elements that can engage individual mating elements of the flash unit when said flash holder is in its unfolded position to permit rotation of said drive member to rotate the flash unit and that cannot engage the mating elements of the flash unit when the flash holder is in its folded position to prevent rotation of the drive member from rotating the flash unit.
 9. A compact camera as recited in claim 8, wherein said rotatable drive member is rotatable about an axis of rotation, and said flash holder is swingable to its folded and unfolded positions about a pivot axis parallel to the axis of rotation of said rotatable member. 